Protein Hydrolysis and Quality Deterioration of Refrigerated and Frozen Seafood Due to Obligately Psychrophilic Bacteria

Two obligately pychrophilic marine Vibrios, MV-3 and MV-6, hydrolyzed proteins and deteriorated refrigerated and frozen seafoods (fresh and cooked shrimp, fish, and scallops). Protein hydrolysis was determined after storage at 4°C and -20°C, and reported as the percent increase over uninoculated controls stored under the same conditions. When fresh shrimp was inoculated with isolate MV-3, increases in protein hydrolysis were 19.2% after 2 wk refrigeration and 14.2% after 12 wk frozen storage. Thus, the isolates were capable of hydrolyzing protein and deteriorating quality of fish and shellfish under refrigeration or frozen storage.